Mobility
Apple iPhone Duo: barely announced, already mocked by Samsung?
15.09.2026 • 15h28
While Apple has just unveiled its first foldable smartphone, the iPhone Duo, six years after Samsung’s models, has its longtime rival had the class not to give in to cheap mockery?
Troubling coincidence that this short 35-second video published by Samsung to promote its latest line of foldable smartphones came out on the same day Apple was holding its conference to unveil its very first foldable model, the iPhone Duo.
A cheeky welcome, but classy?
A video that ends with the message “Welcome to foldables,” a roundabout way of welcoming its competitor to this new market, on which Samsung nevertheless has a six-year lead. A little cheeky and rather classy. We commend Samsung for not giving in to its old demons, namely mocking Apple at the slightest opportunity. Unless...
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Let us know when you're done reheating our leftovers ?</p>— Samsung Mobile US (@SamsungMobileUS) <a href="https://x.com/SamsungMobileUS/status/2097748103478591990?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 9, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Acerbic tweets and unexpected backup from Duolingo
But of course... Of course Samsung chained together acerbic tweets during the iPhone Duo presentation! Example: “Let us know when you’re done reheating our leftovers” (see above). Or the hashtag #ItsTimeToSwitch (“It’s time to switch to the competition”). Even the language-learning app Duolingo got in on it, with a “What an exciting Apple event! I’m sure there won’t be any trademark infringement” (see below) in reference to the term “Duo.” And Samsung replied: “Sorry Duolingo, they copied us too #solidarity.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">what an exciting Apple event! i sure hope my brand doesn’t get infringed upon ?</p>— Duolingo (@duolingo) <a href="https://x.com/duolingo/status/2097734978746372358?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 9, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
He who laughs last laughs best
Very nice, then, even if it is worth remembering that Apple had already used the term Duo in... 1992, on the Macintosh Duo. As for foldables, the Chinese were nearly a year ahead of Samsung with the Royole FlexPai in 2018. And to take it one step further, without the iPhone in 2007, there would be no Samsung Galaxy either; it’s always good to remember that.
